Toy airplane



Oct. v27, 1936. P. K. MCGALL 2,059,131

Tof! AIRPLANE Filed Nov.2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elm I Patented Oct. 27, 1936' UNITED STATES PATENT' oF'F'lcE application zzcilszgal No. 418,020

This invention relates to improvements in toy airplanes oi' the glider type, -which are adapted t be projected into the air to relatively greatA heights by a suitable catapult or similar device.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy y, glider which has the appearance of a real airplane, especially in mid-air. and is light, strong andcompact. A further object Iis to produce a toy of this nature which is foldable and partially demountable to facilitate packing and shipping.

'These and other objects will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawings, which show -a 'preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to theldrawings: i

Figure 1 isa plan view of a toy airplane embodying the present invention. L FiFiglure 2 is a side elevation of the toy shown in Figure 3 is a cross-section and partial end elevatitn of the wings taken on-line `33 of Figure Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal crosssection and side elevation of one of the Wings taken on line l--lof Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-section and end elevation of the stabilizing and 5 5 of Figure 1; v

Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 are perspective views of certain details employed lin the construction of the toy which constitute part of the present invention; f .xH Figures 10 and 11 are 4perspective views of the stabilizing and guide vanes respectively; Figure 12 is a perspective view of they launching device for projecting the toy intothe air;

Figure 13 is a perspective' view illustrating the manner of projecting the device into the air: and

Figure 14 is a appears when folded and demounted and partially inserted-1n a packing box or shipping congilide vanes taken on line tainer.

Referring moreparticularly tothe drawings. the body of the toy comprises a square bar or stick I0 preferably inadeof wood or some light weight material. A' pair of wings II and I2 are pivotally mounted'on bar 4III adjacent its -fx'ofnt 'endbut spacedvtherefrom,while .the vanes I3 and I4 for -guiding the toy in its-night are mount- 'ed on the rear portionof bar Il, vane Il constituting a stabilizing vane and vane I4 acting as a guide vane. Wings .II and'IZ are permanently .attached to'body Il by'means of a strong wire I6 and II'of staple I5 are made of sufcient perspective view of the toy as it constitute vertical pivots about which the wings may be rotated or swung in asubstantially hori- -zontal plane. Arms I6 and Ii pass through suittation or oscillation thereof and serve to prevent 10 any substantial movement or rotationV of the wings about -a horizontal'axis. Plate 22 is provided with a centrally bent or folded portion 23 which may be fitted or sprung into a longitudinal slot 24 provided in bar I0 near its front portion. 15 This slot extends downwardly a substantial distance from the top of bar I0 but not completely therethrough. In order' to attach the plate and wings substantially permanently to bar III, arms length to provide prongs 25 and 2B which ex- 20 tend below the lower edges of body I0 and are bent upwardly and forced into the wood of bar I 0. An arrangement of this nature is of great advantage, since the wings II and I2 may be swung back or folded preparatory to launching the device into the air and' the toy vmay be proiected to far greater heights than would otherat" in Figure 6, which bite into the wood of the 4to wings and insure a. firm grip. 'Clips 21 and 28 are also each provided with apertures, such as indicated at 32 in Figure 6, which are placed inalignment with the apertures in the associated wings II vand I2 and permit the staple arms I6 and I'I 45 to be passed therethrough. The central'folded'portion 23 of plate. 22 is cut out at one end to provide a narrower portion 33 which extends beyond slot 24 and restsA on across barV 3l which rests in turn upon bar II) and pre- 50 vents wear on the upperl surface thereof. This cross-bar is also provided with apertures-A25 and .36 for receiving arms Iland I'I of staple I5.

Suitable springmeems, such as elastic bands 31 and 31| are provide/d for retaining th'e wings in g55 spread-out. or sidewardly extending position. These'bands are fastened to a hook 39 which extends in a horizontal direction longitudinally'of bar I0 and centrally of plate 22 and is provided with a downwardly extending portion 40. Portion 4I) passes down along the front end of slot 24 and terminates in a prong 4I which is driven diagonally into the body I8 to retain hook 39 firmly in place. The other ends of the elastic bands 31 and 38 are fastened to the wings by any suitable means, such as iine wire staples 42 and 43, which are so positioned that when the wings are retracted manually as far as possible with vane I4 in place, the bands still exert a forward pull thereon. In other words, staples 42 and 43 are fastened at such a position on the wings that even when the wings are fully retracted, the bands 31 and 38 do not coincide with or pass over the imaginary 'u 'ported m qnaasnaby grasping the b oay'snd lines connecting hook 39 with arms I6 and I1 respectively, which constitute the centers of rotation of the wings. Thus, the wings are normally retained by the elastic bands in unfolded 'or spread-out condition, and must be moved manually to their rearward position and be -manually retainedv in such position. Moreover, flanges 20 and 2| on plate 22 are spaced suiilciently from the top surface of bar IIJ so that there is room for slight play upwardly and downwardly of the wings between bar I0 and flanges I8 and I9.

This arrangement permits elastic bands 31'and 38 to hold wings II and I2 in such a mannervthat the wings form a dihedral angle of less than 180 with the wing tips 44 and 45 slightly raised, which facilitates the effective gliding and operation of the toy.

A suitable bolt or rivet 4B is inserted in the extreme front portion of bar III, and is sufiiciently long to extend entirely. through bar III` and out beyond the same so as to provide a suitable projection forreoeiving the elastic band or similar device 41 of a catapult or launching device 48. Bolt 46 extends through bar I9 at an angle to the vertical, so that its projecting portion is slightly farther away from the front portion of bar I I I than the body of bolt 48. This tends to prevent accidental disengagement of the elastic element of the catapult and renders the bolt less easy to loosen or remove.

Varies I8 and I4 are mounted in the rear end of bar Ilby'inserting them in suitable slots 49 and 50. Vane I3 may be rmly retained in slot 49, as by glue or any other means, .and is positioned at a slight angle to the horizontal with its rear end uppermost, so that it assumes a. positive angle of incidence to the air in the direction of travel, which fosters the gliding action of the toy during use. Vane I3 is also provided with a centrally located slot 5I near its front portion which is in alignment with the vertical slot Il in bar Il. Slot 5I is relatively short, being made of such length as to snugly receive the finger or extension 52 on vane Il. Thus, vane I4 is held in place in slots SII and 5I by a friction t, is

prevented from withdrawal in a rearward andl downward direction by the fixed vane I3, and may be easily separated from the body of the top by a simple upward lifting thereof. Finger 52 not only serves as a wedge to hold the vane firmly in position, but also extends a small distance out beyond the body and thereby acts as or assumes the appearance of a tail-skid.

In using the device, wings II and vliare swung wings between the thumb and fore-finger, and the elastic element 41 of a suitable launching device, such as catapult 48, is placed in engagement with bolt 48 and the toy is thereby projected upwardly into the air. The resistanceof the air tends to keep the wings in their folded position until the toy loses speed near the top of its travel. At this time the wings snap together, and the airplane gradually glides to the earth while assuming a variety of movements, such asturning, diving, or floating along in a substantially horizontal direction.

In F1gure'14 the device is shown in its folded -condition with the vane I4 removed, and the struction, relatively strong, and-may be propelled by the force ofthe catapult to relatively great heights without undue deviation by virtue of the folding capacity of the wings and their tendency,

when folded, to guide the device in a straight path. The gliding action of the toy is greatly facilitated by providing the wings with a dihedral angle of less than Ill as weil as by mounting the stabilizing vane so that it assumes a positive angle of incidence to the air in the direction of movement. The toy has an appearance similar toV an airplane when in mid-air, and tends to glide to earth in a variety of ways which isvery pleasing to the eye.

It is to be understood that the drawings merely show a preferred form of the invention, and that the benefit of all equivalents to the means and elements hereinbefore described are to be in- Y cluded within its scope.

I claim:

1. A toy airplane comprising a body member, a pllrality of pivoted wings, elastic elements for yieldably retaining the wings in extended position and simultaneously holding them at a dihedral angle of less than 180, the wings being higher at their tips thanat their central portions, and means for stabilizing and guiding the device.

2. A toy airplane comprising a. body member, a pair of foldable wings, elastic elements for yieldably retaining the wings in unfolded condition, and simultaneously maintaining the wings at a. dihedral angle of less than 180, the tips of the wings being raised with respect to the body member, a stabilizing vane, and a guide vane, the

stabilizing vane being mounted at an acute angle to the horizontal. 1

3. A toy airplane comprising a body member, a plurality of movable wings, the wings being restricted to movement -in a substantially horizontal plane, elastic elements for yieldably retaining the wings in `extended position'and simultaneously holding-them at a dihedral angle of less than 180, and means for stabilizing the device.

4. A toy airplane comprising a bodymember, a plurality of Win85. a stabilizing'vane and a removable guide vane, the guide vane having a depending portion which is adapted to be snugly received in a slot in the body member andextends completely through and below the body member thereby forming a tail skid.

5. A toy airplane comprising an elogated body, a plurality of wings pivotaily mounted on the bodyandcapableofbeingfoldedtofacilitatc launching, said wings being restricted to movement in a 'horizontal plane, means for yieldably retaining-the wings in extended position, and

for anions Pnnrexuooau.. 

